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(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. OBRIEN. APPARATUS FOR WEIGHING GRAIN.

No. 428,816. Patented May 27, 1890.

FIG

WITNESSES //vv/v roe SM IQ 7x Mega/flat, 4 -M (a L (Nd Model.) 6Sheets-Sheet 2. E. OBRIEN.

APPARATUS FOR WBIGHING GRAIN.

Patented May 27, 1890.

6 SheetsShe'et 3.

(No Model.)

E. OBRIEN. APPARATUS FOR WEIGHING GRAIN. No. 428,816. Patented May 27,1890.

FIG 5 pat 172?; 5 2%? mt e g/Wm;

(No Model.) 6 SheetsSheet 4. E. O'BRIEN. APPARATUS FOR WEIGHING GRAIN.

PatentedMdy 27, 1890.

WITNESSES Megan/aw;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE OBRIEN, OF LIVERPOOL, COUNTY OF LANCASTER, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TOHENRY POOLEY dz SON, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR WEIGHING GRAIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 428,816, dated May 27,1890.

Application filed July 30, 1886. Serial No. 209,503. (No model.)Patented in England August 10, 1885, No. 9,489, and in Canada August 10,1885,1Io. 24,694.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, EUGENE OBRIEN, customs officer, a subject of theQueen of Great Britain, and a resident of the city of Liverpool, in thecounty of Lancaster, in that part of the United Kingdom of Great Britainand Ireland called England, have invented new and useful Improvements inApparatus for Measuring and Weighing Grain and other Granulated andPulverous Substances, (for which I have obtained a patent in Great-Britain, No. 9,489, dated August 10, 1885, and a patent in Canada, No.2%,694, dated August 10, 1885;) and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the constructionand operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings,making a part of this specification, like letters and figures markedthereon being used to denote the same or corresponding parts throughoutthe various views.

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a doublechambered weighing-maehine inits preferred form according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a side view ofthe device shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan of the device shown inFig. 1. Fig. atis a section through X X, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a sectionthrough X K, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a plan in section through Y Y, Fig. '2.Fig. '7 is an end View of the machine, showing the looking and valvegear in their central position. Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11 show thelocking-gear drawn to a larger scale.

This my invention relates to that type of weighing-machines in which aweighing receptacle or receptacles having a tilt bottom or door or doorsis suspended from one end of an equal armed weigh beam having a weightat the other end, the weighing receptacle or receptacles discharging thesubstance in weighed or measured quantities from the weighing receptacleor receptacles as it or they are filled and weighed.

My improvements consist of a certain method of working herein set forth,and of a certain construction and arrangement of parts, whereby I obtainmore accurate and better weighing with a great increase in the speed ofweighing over common practice with this type of machine.

' equal portions in each compartment.

In weighing-machines of the duplex type herein defined the correctnessof weighing often depends upon the regularity of the supply, which, whennot sufficient to keep the feedii'ig-outlet full, particularly when thefinal weighing is taking place, will give a stream of the substancebeing weighed varying in bulk. The length of this streamnamely, thelength between the feeding-chute and the upper surface of the materialin the weighing-receptacle-also varies even when the supply is regular,according as there is being weighed more or less of the material, andthe upper surface is at a higher or lower level in theweighing-receptacle and near to or farther from the feeding-chute,which, when the weighing is completed in one compartment, diverts thestream into the other compartment, leaving the varying suspended streamto fall into the compartment, then discharging, and since this varyingstream cannot be compensated for by a determinate weight the weighing bythis class of machines is more or less inaccurate.

In the carrying out of my invention as applied to duplexweighing-machines the weighing-beam and double-chambered receptacle witha double vibrating tilt bottom are connected and weigh or measure anddischarge, as above described; but I so construct theweighing-receptacle that it can be varied in size-namely, each of thetwo equal compartrnents can be enlarged or reduced, so as to containwhen full the required maximum or minimum, or other intermediatemeasure. This varying of the cubic weighing capacity of the chambers ofthe weighing-receptacle is eifected by providing each compartment with adevice so constructed as to cut off or reduce the capacity of thechamber. These devices, which may take the form of slides, are worked byscrewed rods or their equivalents, by which they may be raised orlowered, and when lowered cutoff and isolate certain Thus when theslides are down the compartments hold the least and when the slides areraised the cut-oit or isolated portion is added, giving the compartmentits full capacity. This varying weighing-receptacle is fed or suppliedwith the substance to be weighed by a fixed chute having two small equalvalves in its side and a double outlet at its bottom. The bottom of thischute fits loosely into the top of the double chambered weighin greceptacle, its outlets opening, respectively, into the respectivecompartments of the weighing-receptacle. Each of the outlets of thefeedingchute is provided with a sliding door or damper to be worked byhand. To fill one compartment of the weighing-receptacle, the hand-slidein the feeding-chute directly over the compartment is pulled out. Afterthe compartment is filledthehand-slide is pushed in, so cutting cit thesupply. The flow of grain into this compartment being thus severed fromthe supply the balance to make up the required weight, herein called themakeweight, is fed from one of the valves in the side of thesupply-spout into a reserved portion at the back of theweighing-receptacle. The beam then descends under its load and alocking-g ear, hereinafter described, being released allows the tiltbottom to open and discharge. The small valves on the side of thesupplyspout are provided with a cut-cit, which is worked by an automaticmechanism by suitable connecting-rods from the tilt bottom to a leveronthe cut-oft, which is arranged so that when one valve is shut the otheris open.

In operation the slide doors or dampers of the feeding-chute are workedalternately, and thus the weighing goes on from side to side. In pullingout either of the slide-doors to fill the weighing-receptacle it shootsa bolt or locking device under the weighing end of the weiglnbeam, andso prevents the descent of the weighirig-receptacle by the momentum ofthe inflowing substance, the superweight of the material in thesupply-chute resting on the material which fills theweighing-receptacle. The pushing in of the slide-door severs this extrawei ght from the weight in the weighingreceptaclc, which latter mustalways be less than the required weight. It also pulls back theweigh-beam-locking device, leaving the beam free for weighing, so thatwhen the make -weight has been received from the valve in the supplyspout the beam descends and the contents of the weighing-receptacledischarge. The speed of weighing depends upon the volume of the supply,the size of the outlet of the feeding-chute, and the inlet of theweighirig-receptacle, which latter must always be less than its outlet,in order that the discharging-compartment may be emptied before thefilling-compartment is filled. It, for example, in the case of a machinefor weighing grain, these inlets and outlets are made as large aspracticable, the weighing-rcceptacles may be alternately filled anddischarged with a speed greatly exceeding the duty performed by otherwcighing-machines of this type. Inasmuch as the upper surface of thegrain in that part of the weighing-receptacle before mentioned whichreceives the make-weight is always the same distance from the valvewhich supplies the make-weight, and that the supply, for example, in thecase of grain, is always suflicient to pass full bore through thisvalve, which is of small dimensionssay two inches squaretherefore thevolume of this stream is unehangeable, and as the cut-off,asl1ereinaftershown, is near the surface of the grain in the weighing-receptacle, thelength of the stream at the time the weighing-receptacle begins todescend is inconsiderable. The weighin g receptacle only descends aboutthreequarters of an inch before its discharge commences and before thecut-oh". is closed by the action of its connection with the discharging-door. Therefore the quantity of grain to be compensated for is thatwhich passes through the valve while the weighing-receptacle isdescending this three-quarters of an inch, and this, under allcircumstances, may be considered a determinate or unvarying andcompensatable weight. Therefore great accuracy and speed of weighing areobtained.

In the drawings, A represents an equalarmed weigh-beam mounted andhaving its fulcra A on a frame A which maybe of any convenientconstruction.

13 is a weighing-receptacle mounted on one end of the weigh-beam A anddivided by a central partition I3 into two equal chambers 1 and 2 andhaving a double vibrating tilt bottom E.

C is a weight suspended from the other end of the weigh-beam A.

D the chute or spout through which the substance to be weighed is fedinto the weighing-receptacle.

The weighirig-receptacle 1-3 is so constructed that its capacity can beincreased or reduced for example, each of the chambers 1 and 2 isprovided with a slide device (L for varying their size, which is soconstructed that it can be raised or lowered by a screwed rod a and ahandle a This device is shown in its lowered position in the drawings,and by raisin the device a the capacity of the weighing-receptacle canbe increased.

The bottom of the chute or feed-spout D is provided with two slide doorsor dampers (Z (1. These feed-doors (1 cl are constructed as hand-slidesand slide on the bars and between the guides d and the central bar (P ofthe chute l), and when closed shut off the main supply from. the chuteI) to the weighing-receptacle B, and are opened by hand alternately forfilling the chambers 1 or 2 with the material to be weighed, the mainsupply of which, passing through the opening caused by the withdrawal ofthe slide-door (Z or (1', must be less than the required weight. Toprovide for this deficiency, the main chute I) is provided with twosmall side chutes or valves 6 6, provided with a cut-off device f. Thefunction of these side valves c c is to supply the make-weight after thesliding door (1 has been closed and the main supply shut off. Thismake-weight passes through the side valve 6 or 0 into the reservedportion cut out from the receptacle 1 2 by the partition Z7 until theweighing-receptacle descends, when the locking device, hereinafterdescribed, is released and the double-vibrating tilt bottom E opens thechamber being weighed, and in opening moves the cut-off device f, so asto close the valve 6 or c (and open the opposite one) by means of therods f and levers f which are so connected together (see Fig. 2) as toallow for the primary descent of the weighing-receptacle before thecut-off is effected. As before mentioned, and for the reasons set forth,the make-weight is fed from the valves e 6 into a portion of theweighing-receptacle, which is cut off or reserved by the partition I).(See Figs. 2 and 5.)

Upon the frame A there is a fixed bracket or projecting arm g, which, asthe weighingreceptacle B descends, operates the locking and releasingdevice of the double vibrating tilt bottom E, which I will now describe.This locking device consists of a lever or prop 7L, fulcrumed at h, andserving as a prop to the knee-joint, formed by the links 2 for one sideof the door E, and to the kneejoint formed by the links 7c for the otherside of the door E. The position of the lever-prop h in relation to thelinks t and R will be understood upon reference to Fig. 1 and to thedetails shown in Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11. The lever-prop 7L isprovided with a pin 7L2, which, as the weighing-receptacle descends,comes in contact with the bracket g, before mentioned, thus taking theprop h from the knee-joint of the links 1', or from the knee-joint ofthe links 7c, whichever it may then be supporting, the prop 72. beingcaused to take the position to hold up the other side of the door E byreason of the opening of the then discharging side of the door E. Itwill be seen that the links 11 and the links are connected with theweighirig-receptacle, the vibrating bottom, and with one another byjoints, which, when the links are in the position shown at 75, areslightly out of line, the center joint being slightly inclined to thecenter h. Thus the pressure borne by the links is supported by theprop-lever 7t, and when this lever is tripped up the links naturallygive way and allow the tilt bottom E to tilt over and discharge. Theless the links 1' and k are out of line the less is the pressure againstthe prop 7t, and the less is the downward pressure required to beexerted by the weighing receptacle to trip up the prop h. The prop h isnearly balanced, the side with the pin 7L2 being just heavy enoughto'overbalance the other side and return the prop h to its horizontalposition, in which it is kept by the pin 7t, the pin h coming in contactwith the boss that is, the center projection of the lever h, as shown inFig. 11. This boss consists of a hub having V-shaped grooves cut in itat opposite sides of the center, as shown in Fig. 8. This locking andreleasing gear is very sen sitive-a most important consideration inmachines of this class, which require the locking-gear to release withease.

The feed-chute D is supported from the frame A by the brackets L.Centrally within the feed-chuteD there is a spindle M, one end of whichpasses through the back of the feedchute and carries loosely the cut-01fdevice f, and the other end passes through the other side of thefeed-chute and terminates in a loop or handle K (See Fig. 2.) 011 andfastened to this spindle M there is an inside cut-off or shutterN, whichis used to stop either of the valves discharging when it is required tostop the weighing. This shutter is operated by turning the spindle M bythe handle.

As before mentioned, the slide-doors (Z d of the main chute D as theyare pulled out and pushed in are guided by the guides (i and slide onthe bars (P, which bars (Z form part of the bracket d", which is boltedto the under side of the main chute D.

d are stepson the slides d d, limiting the travel of the slides on thebracket d.

- On each side of the frame A there is pro vided a locking device forlocking the weighbeam while the weight of the column of material throughthe chute D is on the weighingrcceptacle. This locking device is induplicate, and consists of the bolt 3, carried by guide-brackets andworked by a lever S, and a link 5- from the slides (Z (1, respectively,working as follows: Each link 3 is provided with a pin 3 and eachslide-door (Z d is provided with a pin 5-, so that when the slidedoor isclosed the pin 8" comes in contact with the pin 3 on the link .9 therebycausing the link .9 to withdraw the weigh-beam lock 3, and when theslide-door is opened the pin 5- comes in contact with the end of thelevers s, and so inserts the weigh-beam lock under the end of theweiglrbeam. The levers s are supported by the brackets 4" and the links5: are supported from the main chute by the links t.

I have in this description shown an example of a means of contracting orenlarging the chambers of the weighing-receptacle; but I do not limit myinvention to this particular means, as the chambers can be increased orreduced by being of a telescopic or other equivalent construction, orthe sides of the weighing-receptacles can be so made as to move in orout and so enlarge or contract the weighing-receptacle.

I would also have it understood thata machine according to my inventionis suitable for weighing all kinds of granular and pulverons substancesand materials.

The method of operation may be thus briefly described: Presume theadjustable slides of the weighing-receptacle be set to weigh in thechambers 1 and 2 centals of grain, which adjustment can be readilyascertained.

One of the slides d or d is opened, the correspondin g chamber-bottombeinglocked. The opening of the slide locks the weigh-beam and TIOallows the compartment to instantaneously fill from the chute D. Theslideis now closed and the grain in the chute D is severed from thegrain in the weighing-chamber. The closing of the slide unlocks theweigh-beam, and the make-weight, through the side "alve, completes theweight and causes the receptacle to descend, the door to open, thecut-off of the make-weight to close, and the chamber to dis charge itscontents.

I11 the foregoing description I have particularly described aweighing-machine of a double-cha1nbered form according to my invention;but I would have it understood that this is only one form of machine towhich the improvements according to my invention may be applied, an dthat they are equally ap plicable to single-chambered weighing-machinesof the type to which this class of machine belongs. In the case ofsingle-chambered weighing-machines the parts will be arranged, as willbe understood, on simple instead of duplex form, and to suit theparticular requirements of the case.

Having now described my invention, I claim as follows:

1. In a weighing-maehine, the combination of a weighing-receptacle, ahopper, said hopper being provided with two openings leading to saidreceptacle, one larger than the other, independently-operated gates forcontrolling said openings, a tilt bottom for discharging the contents ofsaid receptacle, and a rod c011- necting said bottom with the gate ofsaid smaller opening for simultaneously closing said opening when thebottom is tilted, substantially as described.

2. In a weighing-machine, the combination of a weighing-receptaclehaving two compartments, a hopper communicating with both of saidcompartments by an opening through which the main charge enters, doorsfor controlling said opening, two smaller openings, one communicatingwith each of said compartments, through which the make-weight enters, atilting bottom for alternately controlling the discharge from saidcompartments, and a rod connecting the said bottom with the doors ofsaid smalleropenin gs to cause them to operate simultaneously,substantially as described.

In a weighing device, the combination of a scale-beam, aweighing-receptacle, a partition therein dividing said receptacle into alarger and a smaller compartment, a hopper, a main door communicatingbetween the larger compartmentand the hopper, a discharging-door forsaid receptacle, a locking device for the scale-beam, connected by a rodwith said main door, to be released by the closing thereof, a smallerdoor communicating between said hopper and the smaller compartment,connected by a rod to said discharging-door, whereby it is automaticallyclosed when said discharging-door is opened, substantially as described.

4.. In a weighing-machine, the combination of a scale-beam, aweighing-receptacle, a hopper, and two openings of unequal dimensionscommunicating between said receptacle and hopper controlled by separatedoors operating independently, a tilting bottom for said receptacle, anda lockin g device for the scalebeani connected with and operated by thedoor for the larger of said openings, substantially as described.

5. In weighing-machines,the automaticallyoperating mechanism for lockingand releasing the tilting doors thereof, consisting of a lever 71, a pin7L2, projecting from said lever, a stationary projection g, acting as astop for said pin, knee-joints i '1' and 7t 71: and a' pin 7F, and agrooved hub on the said lever, with which said pin engages,substantially as described.

(i. In a weighing-machine, the combination of a weighing-recept-acle, ascale-beam to which the receptacle is attached, a hopper provided withtwo openings, one larger than the other, leading to said receptacle,doors to control said openings, and a locking device for the scale-beamconnected with and operated by the door controlling said larger opening,a tilt bottom for discharging the contents of said receptacle, and a rodconnecting said bottom with the door of said smaller opening forsimultaneously closing said opening when the bottom is tilted,substantially as described.

7. In a weighing-machine, the combination of a weighing-receptacle, ahopper, two separate and independent doors communicating between saidreceptacle and said hopper, one larger than the other, a vibrating tiltbottom for said receptacle, and a rod connecting said bottom with thedoor of said smaller opening for simultaneously closing said openingwhen the bottom is tilted, substantiallly as described.

S. In a weighing-machine, the combination of a hopper, aweighing-receptacle divided into two compartments, one for a main chargeand the other for the make-weight charge, both in communication with thehopper, means, substantially as described, for varying the contents ofsaid main-charge compartment so as to contain somewhat less than thetotal quantity of material to be weighed, and doors for controlling thecommunication between both of said chambers and the hopper.

9. In a weighing-machine make-weight device, the combination of chute D,slide doors or dampers (I (1, weighing-receptacles 1 and 2, andmake-weight device 6 e f, constructed substantially as set forth.

1 0. In a Weighing-machine make-weight device, the combination of aweighing-receptacle having two compartments, a hopper, an openingcommunicating between said hopper and each of said compartments, ashutter N for closing each of said openings, and a tilting door f foralternately opening and closing said openings, substantially asdescribed.

11. In a weighing-machine, the combination material to be weighed, anddoors for con-.

trolling the communication between both of said chambers and the hopper.

12. In a weighing-machine, the combination of a hopper, aweighing-receptacle, a partial partition dividing the receptacle intotwo compartments, one for the main charge and the other for themake-weight charge, both in communication with the hopper, means,substantially as described, for varying the capacity of the main-chargecompartment to contain somewhat less than the quantity of material to beweighed, and doors for controlling the communication between both ofsaid compartments and the hopper.

13. In a weighing-machine, the combination of a hopper, aWeighing-receptacle divided into two compartments, one for a main chargeand the other for the make-weight charge, both in communication With thehopper, means, substantially as described, for varying the capacity ofsaid main-charge compartment to contain somewhat less than the quantityof material to be weighed, independent doors for controlling thecommunication between both of said compartments and the hopper, ascale-beam to which said receptacle is attached, and a locking deviceconnected with and operated by the main-charge door, so as to be lockedwhen said dooris open and to be released when it is closed.

14:. In a Weighing-machine, the combination of a scale-beam, aweighing-receptacle carried by said beam, a hopper provided with twoopenings, one larger than the other, leading to said receptacle,independently-operating doors for controlling the said opening, alooking device for said scale-beam attached to and operated by the doorcontrolling one of said openings, a tilt bottom for discharging thecontents of said receptacle, and a rod connecting said bottom with thedoor of said smaller opening, substantially as described.

15. In a weigh-beam-locking mechanism, the combination of doors d d,pins 8 .9 links 3 and .9, bar .9, and Weigh-beam A, substantially as setforth, for the purposes specified.

16. In a weighing-machine, the combination of a scale-beam, a hopper, aweighing-receptacle attached to said beam divided into two compartments,one for the main charge arranged to contain somewhat less than the totalquantity of material to be weighed, and the other for the make-weightcharge, and a door to relieve the charge contained in the main-chargecompartment of the weight of the material remaining in the hopper.

EUGENE OBRIEN.

Witnesses:

-FREDERICK JOHN CHEESBROUGH,

JAMES ANDREW COUBROUGH, Both of 15 Water Street, Liverpool, England.

